


The Royal Thieves

by EwiKnight



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Canon, shumako
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:01:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25650295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EwiKnight/pseuds/EwiKnight
Summary: When their 4 year-old son, Kenji Niijima-Amamiya, has a difficult time falling asleep due to a 'monster' that looms inside their closet. Ren and Makoto team up with a creative solution to face his fear.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Niijima Makoto, Kurusu Akira/Niijima Makoto, Niijima Makoto/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 6
Kudos: 44





	The Royal Thieves

**Author's Note:**

> LONG TIME NO SHUMAKO!
> 
> Hello! It's been quite some time since I published a story but I'm happy to have finally post this!
> 
> Lately, I developed an affinity for Parenting AUs because I just really ADORE the idea of Ren and Makoto being parents. I imagine them to be dorky and soft parents. However, aside from such adorkableness, what I also want to highlight in this piece is how Ren and Makoto exhibits a lot of healthy parenting. Given how introspective they are and how much they strive to better themselves not only for their own sake but also for others, I really think they are the kind of parents who are proactive when it comes to showing that they love and cherish their child. Sure, they'll experience hurdles here and there but what parents doesn't right? What matters more is they work and learn from it together. And in that process, they grow more as parents for their child. For me, quite true to the testament of Ren and Makoto being study partners right? :)
> 
> My only hope is that I was able to portray all of those through this piece. Enjoy!

“Papa! Papa! I can’t sleep!”

Ren swiftly opened his eyes, alarmed by the vigorous shaking and loud crying of Kenji, his and Makoto’s 4 year-old son. Although the family’s pediatrician reassured them Kenji may experience erratic sleeping patterns due to his age. The pair couldn’t help but still worry since it has been happening quite frequently for the past few weeks. 

Ren sat up and stretched his arms. He then turned to face Kenji. “Are you having nightmares again, Kenji?” Ren noticed his son wringing his hands and his eyes almost seconds away from bursting a fountain of tears. Being a father for 4 years now, nothing was more heartbreaking for Ren than seeing his own child cry to the point he started to get teary-eyed as well. And this was already saying a lot since Ren, known for his calm and collected personality, was not one to shed tears so easily. 

“Yes, Papa,” Kenji answered with a croaky voice, “I dreamt there were monsters living in our closet… They came out and grabbed me from the bed! You and Mama weren’t there to save me!” After he uttered the last word, Kenji could no longer contain his tears, releasing them like waterfalls. 

He quickly moved closer to Ren. Completely terrified, Kenji clenched tightly onto his father’s arms and rested his head on his shoulders. As his son leaned onto him, the sleeves of Ren’s shirt were now soaked with the little boy’s tears who continued to weep profusely. 

The child rubbed his eyes and asked, “Papa, there’s a monster in our closet right? They might get us! Papa, I’m scared! Please do something!” 

Ren stared at the now misty-eyed Kenji while he rubbed his back to comfort him. Ren then closed his eyes for a moment to think. He knew the immediate action would be to tell Kenji that it was merely a bad dream. That what he witnessed in his sleep isn’t real and he should just go back to sleep. However, back when they found out Makoto was pregnant with Kenji, they binge read a lot of those parenting books. He even remembered how they almost bought an entire cart of these, perhaps, out of eagerness to become excellent parents. 

One of the books he recalled distinctively discussed how it was crucial to make sure one’s child must feel safe and secured when disclosing their feelings. Ever since reading that passage, the two strived to be proactive in ensuring that Kenji felt open to sharing them things. 

Of course, as Kenji got older, Ren realized this was easier said than done. Being an adult who was presumed to always know better, he noticed he found himself wanting to control Kenji’s behavior. However, every time this happened, he resisted the urge to do so since he knew adults were not right all the time. His Phantom Thief days were a true testament to such a fact. 

Still in deep thought, Ren couldn’t bear the thought of seeing Kenji in his teens being emotionally detached to him or Makoto all because when he was a child, he felt unsafe opening up to them. He thought how awful it would be if Kenji didn’t tell them something as simple as how his day went, his hobbies, and interests. Even more so, something more personal such as his first ever relationship or hopefully not, his first breakup. 

Everything that Kenji experiences during his lifetime, Ren wants to be there for him. Even though some of these may cause discomfort for him, specifically negative events, he wants to hear all of these from his son’s own words should the latter choose to do so. One of Ren’s greatest fears was his own son closing himself off completely. Perhaps, the final straw that Ren would take as a sign that he ultimately failed being a father is when he finds out his child’s life from someone else. 

He finally opened his eyes and glanced at his 4 year-old son who was still clutched onto him as if his life depended on it. Kenji’s hands continued to shake and the tears didn’t cease to fall from his face while he continued to stare at the closet. 

Ren leaned onto the headboard of the bed and looked up. He tried to come up with a solution to help his son overcome his fear. 

_What should I do?_

An idea suddenly popped into his head. Ren jolted himself forward and snapped his fingers. “I got it!” He shouted in excitement. Confused at his father’s sudden behavior, Kenji scratched his head. 

Ren checked the time from the digital clock by the nightstand. It read, “8:30PM”, which was 30 minutes past Kenji’s bedtime. 

He took a deep breath, hoping to the heavens he would not receive the infamous Niijima glare (accompanied by a lecture because it IS Makoto he’s talking about after all) when she comes home. After a moment of silence, Ren finally told his son, “Kenji, I have a great idea to make the monster in our closet go away so that you won’t have nightmares anymore. Here’s what we do.” 

* * *

Makoto entered their household as quietly as possible by gently placing the house keys on the table right beside the door as well as her coat on the coat rack. She let out a quick yawn and rubbed her eyes. Before she headed to the bedroom, she checked her watch, it read 9:30PM. 

“Kenji and Ren must be asleep already and I’m ready to call it a day too.” Makoto stretched her arms. Today had been a tiring day at work due to the numerous criminal cases and unfortunately, work problems that popped up today. Makoto Niijima loved her profession as a police commissioner. Nothing was more thrilling and pleasing than seeing unjust people be put behind bars. However, it required a lot of hard work but most of all, integrity. She was not only fighting notorious criminals but also ‘criminals’ disguised in police uniforms and the abusive, bureaucratic, and corrupt system they created themselves.

In such long work nights, she only looked forward to one thing: cuddles with the two loves of her life. Nothing gave her a good serotonin boost other than her husband and their 4 year-old son. 

As she slowly walked to their bedroom, she was surprised to find more lights opened than usual as evidenced by the shadows seen under the door of the bedroom. She took a look at her watch again to confirm she wasn’t hallucinating but her eyes disappointed her as it really said 9:30PM. She and Ren agreed that Kenji must already be asleep by 8:00PM. She also heard muffled noises coming from the room, which completely confirmed the two were still awake. 

She didn’t know what was going on but all she knew was once she opened that door, Ren had a lot of explaining to do. 

Makoto slowly turned the doorknob and quietly entered the room. As she looked around, she noticed most of the nightlights in the room were still switched on, which was peculiar because only the one on top of the nightstand would be opened if everyone was asleep. They usually slept with one turned on since she and Kenji are terrified of the dark. When they found out Kenji’s nyctophobia, she worried it was passed down onto her child even though Ren reassured her that most children were afraid of the dark and such fear would dissipate over time. One of Makoto’s fears as a parent was her undesirable characteristics such as her phobias being inherited by her children. She didn’t wish for them to carry such a burden. 

Makoto’s eyes grew larger when she saw boxes splayed across the floor. The room was literally a mess and given her fatigue, she didn’t want to clean up especially at this ungodly hour. Ever since Kenji was born, 9:00PM became their new midnight and given how exhausting her job was, she accepted it wholeheartedly. 

She finally looked at her bed to confirm her suspicions - the two were still awake but the setup of the bed was significantly different. Pillows were stacked together around the borders of the bed while Ren and Kenji hid behind the pillow and ever since she entered the room, they still had not left their sights at the cabinet. 

_Why are they staring there?_ Makoto wondered but this was answered seconds later. 

“Papa! The monster is still inside the closet!”

“Copy that Kenji!” 

Even though Makoto demanded an explanation as to why her husband and child were still up and converted their bed into some sort of fortress, she thought Ren and Kenji playing like this was pretty adorable. It was one of those moments that tugged her heartstrings. She was not surprised they engaged in this type of play since Kenji was quite an imaginative child. During the weekends, their son would ask them to play with him and requested they become astronauts, Pokemon trainers, and whatever else Kenji could think of. Some of these requests were quite outrageous. It left Makoto wondering just what exactly went inside the mind of her child and more importantly, who did he inherited such ‘creativity’ from. She’s quite certain it just had to be Ren much to the latter’s protests. 

During the time Kenji started potty training, he requested things like: "Mama, can you pretend to be a poop-eating monster," and "Papa, I want you to be a pee-pee!" Once, he had asked the two of them to be the king and queen of toilets. Thankfully, such requests had subsided now that he learned to go to the toilet on his own.

Entranced in their own little world, the two were completely unaware that Makoto was also in the room until she cleared her throat. 

“Excuse me, but may I ask why my husband and my child are still awake, staring at the cabinet, and our room with boxes on the floor.” Makoto crossed her arms. “And the most intriguing of all, our bed is turned into a fortress?” 

Alerted by Makoto’s presence, Ren and Kenji froze. The two stared at Makoto with wide eyes as if they had just seen a ghost. Ren, particularly, took a huge gulp. Given Makoto’s demeanor - her crossed arms and the classic Niijima glare, he realized he was in deep, deep trouble. 

Makoto walked closer to the bed. “Is this your idea, Kenji?” 

“Sure Mama! Blame the 4 year-old!” shouted Kenji and quickly pointed to his father as the culprit. 

“L-listen Makoto, I can explain!” Ren shook his head vigorously. Makoto noticed her husband began to act like a child who was pleading for forgiveness with those agitated hand gestures. She tried her best to hide her amusement by neither smiling nor laughing. She knew Ren had a justifiable explanation as to why Kenji was still awake past his bedtime but to see him in such a flustered state felt like a taste of his own medicine. It’s one of the few rare moments wherein Ren was this flustered and she wanted to savor every minute of it. 

Makoto finally sat on the bed and ruffled both Ren’s and Kenji’s hair. She also smiled to further assure them she wasn’t angry. “Alright. Can anyone tell me what’s happening?” 

Before Ren could start, much to his surprise, Kenji spoke, “Oh Mama! I couldn’t sleep because there’s a monster in our closet! Papa’s helping me.” The child pointed to the pillows. “He said if we build a fort like this then we can catch the monster in the closet!” 

Kenji continued to talk, “I was crying a lot but Papa did this to make me feel better.” He then begged Makoto. “So please don’t be mad at Papa. I’m sorry I stayed past my bedtime but I’m really scared.” When Makoto looked at him, all she could think of was Kenji’s soft red puppy eyes. 

Makoto, now worried with Kenji’s sudden confession, looked at Ren who was also looking back at her intently and using his black puppy eyes as well. No words came out from his mouth but she knew what he wanted to tell her: 

_Please let’s do this for Kenji._

Now she understood where Kenji takes his cute eyes from. Makoto didn’t not have a lot of weaknesses. She was pretty much known to be one of the most enduring members of the Phantom Thieves. However, one of these was certainly her husband’s and child’s puppy eyes. Those soft black and red pairs of eyes that looked at her deeply with affection. Such gazes succeeded to melt her heart, which guaranteed her to cave to their requests. 

She was dead tired. The bed screamed at her to call it a day. She needed her rest. However, her child needed her more. She knew that once she became a mother, her child was her top priority; therefore, sacrificing a portion of her sleep was always worthwhile if it meant comforting and cheering her child up. 

She beamed a smile. “Alright then. Kenji and Ren, what’s our strategy of catching the monster inside our closet?” 

* * *

“That sounds like a good plan, Mama!” 

After she changed out of her work clothes, Makoto joined the two in their bed turned fortress. The three then continued to hide themselves under the blanket while they finalized their strategy on how they’re going to catch the ‘monster’ inside their closet.  
  
Of course Ren and Makoto knew there’s no monster that exists in their closet. If this were the Metaverse, which was long gone thanks to their efforts, then it would have been possible. However, if this form of play meant quelling their son’s fears and helping him fall asleep peacefully, they’d do it in a heartbeat. It’s a promise they made to each other once Makoto was pregnant. They were to love and be there for him in all forms and at all costs. Absolutely, no compromises. 

“Then it’s settled. Kenji and Ren are to be on the frontlines, capturing the monster while I stay behind to protect our base as well as advise and give you instructions. Alright then?” Makoto put her hand forward to initiate a team huddle. Once they nodded their heads in agreement, Kenji and Ren stacked their hands on top of hers. 

“Let’s do this!” The three whispered in unison since they wanted to make sure not to create enough noise to wake the ‘monster’ hiding their closet. 

Ren was ready to uncover themselves from the blanket to initiate their mission when Kenji raised his hand to stop his father from doing so. Makoto and Ren tilted their heads. Confused expressions crossed their faces as they waited for their son to give out an explanation. 

Kenji rested his chin on his hand. “Papa and Mama, before we do this, we need to have codenames, just in case the monster catches Papa and me. It can’t know our names. That’s what the story book about top-secret agents said right?”

The couple glanced at each other before they chuckled as they reminisced their Phantom Thief days. Having a codename was something Morgana required them while traversing the Metaverse. Suddenly, nostalgia filled the air. Makoto found it especially memorable when Ren’s suggestion of calling her ‘Queen’. It was the only codename from her members’ suggestions that she genuinely liked. No way was she going to accept being called ‘Rider’, ‘Fixer’, but worst of all, ‘Shoulder Pads’ (Seriously, Ryuji what even?!)

They still called each other ‘Joker’ and ‘Queen’ from time to time out of habit when hanging out with their former comrades turned lifelong friends. On such occasions, their peers teased them about it much to their embarrassment. They pointed out how their codenames were the only ones that matched among the team, noticing this was, perhaps, a foreshadowing of an undeniable deep bond between the two. 

Ren grinned and gave a thumbs up to his son. “Oh, you don’t have to worry about that Kenji, we already have our codenames.”

Kenji’s eyes grew wide with curiosity. “What are your codenames, Papa and Mama?” 

Makoto pointed to Ren. “Your Papa is Joker.” then pointed to herself. “While I’m Queen.” 

“Why is Papa called Joker?” Kenji looked at his mother curiously. “Isn’t Papa supposed to be King because in fairy tales, the king and queen are married and you and Papa are married?” 

“That’s a good question!” Ren clapped his hands. “I think Joker fits me better than King because I tend to joke around right? Aren’t my jokes funny, Kenji?” Ren nudged both his son and Makoto, expecting to be affirmed. He could have explained his codename is Joker because he was the Trickster, the rebellious Wildcard who saved the world from a malevolent god. Besides, when he saw Kamoshida, his sexual predator of a teacher, was a king in his Palace, left a bad taste in his mouth. Regardless, explaining all this jargon didn’t sound fun to his 4 year-old son. Ren always wanted to show Kenji how much of a ‘cool’ dad he was even though numerous of these attempts have failed in the past. 

And right on cue, Ren’s attempts of branding himself as the ‘cool and funny dad’ failed once again. 

Makoto let out an exasperated sigh. “Oh Ren, don’t get ahead of yourself.” 

Kenji pouted and nodded in agreement. “Mama’s right, Papa. Your jokes aren’t funny most of the time because I don’t get it!” 

Ren pouted back. “Hey! Why is my wife and son tag teaming against me? But you laugh at me sometimes!” 

“Sorry Papa! But you know it’s true, sometimes your jokes are just not funny!” Kenji grinned. “Right, Mama?” Kenji then raised his hand at Makoto, signaling for a high five. 

Sealing the agreement, Makoto reciprocated back with a high five. “Yes, I agree Ken-Ken.” The two started to giggle while Ren continued to pout given their reaction. Makoto thought it was nice to not be on the receiving end of the teasing for a change especially this was her husband she’s talking about - the one who constantly teased her. 

Once she finished her chuckle, Makoto proceeded to ruffle Ren’s hair. “Okay, okay we’ll stop.” 

Ren sighed. “I thought you’d never stop.” then grinned, accepting that teasing is just a typical behavior in the Niijima-Amamiya household. He then messed with Kenji’s bird-nested hair. “You’ll need a codename too. What do you want us to call you?” 

Kenji tilted his head slightly and tapped his temple with his finger. “Hmm… because you’re both called Joker and Queen, I want something like that too! How about Prince? Since you’re my Mama and Papa!” 

Pleased with his son’s choice of codename, Makoto smiled. “Oh that’s a good one Ken-Ken. I like the sound of it. It matches well with our codenames.” 

“You know what? I have an idea!” Ren pointed his finger up. “We should have a team name too! Since our codenames match, we should be called the Royal Thieves!” 

“It does have a nice ring to it.” Makoto continued to be amused. “What do you think, Ken-Ken? It’s your call if you want our team name to be named like that.” 

Kenji nodded excitedly. “Okay. Let’s go with that because when you weren’t here Mama, Papa said we’re going to steal the monster’s heart!” 

“So we have our codenames, team name, and our weapons ready.” Ren lifted his bolster, pretending it to be his weapon. “Anything else we missed?” 

“Well, I thought this would fit the occasion.” Makoto revealed to them three sets of masks. “I got it from Ken-Ken’s toy box before joining you two. We’ll need to wear this to further hide our identities.” It was the masks they wore at a masquerade-themed birthday party. Coincidentally enough, Ren and Makoto designed theirs in such a way it heavily resembled their masks when they were still the Phantom Thieves - Makoto’s iron clad mask and Ren’s black and white opera-inspired mask. Kenji’s was a bright yellow mask designed with his random colorful scribbles. 

Makoto handed out their respective masks and put on hers. “Okay are we ready to go?” 

Putting on theirs as well, Ren and Kenji nodded in agreement. Now having worn their masks, they looked more serious than ever. 

The three stacked their hands together and raised these up.

“Let’s go Royal Thieves!”

* * *

“Joker and Prince, start your position on the left! Near the cabinet!”

“Roger that, Queen! Prince and I are now heading over the cabinet.” 

“Pa- I mean Joker, there’s a bad guy over there! He’s blocking our way!” shouted Kenji who pointed to the box that he and Ren placed earlier. On the carton, Kenji drew a monster: a green grouchy figure with a crooked mouth, sharp fangs, and dirty claws. 

Given the layout of the room, Ren rearranged the area like a maze with the finish line being the closet. Boxes were splayed across the room either depicting a wall or enemies to which Ren asked Kenji to draw. He had to make do with what they had yet did his best to make this thrilling for Kenji. Ren thought they’re on the right track given his son was now calmer and showed less signs of fright - a sharp contrast to the child an hour ago who was wailing and clutching onto him desperately for comfort.

“Alright, I’m going to sneak behind the enemy then hit it. Prince, cover me!” Ren tiptoed behind the box while he held his bolster turned sword. 

Makoto chose to stay behind in their bed fortress in order to analyze the enemies’ weak points just like her role as the strategist of the Phantom Thieves. 

“Joker, be careful. The enemy is quite powerful. Doing a sneak attack will be best in this situation. Prince, make sure to cover him and stay behind.”  
  
“Got it. I’m going to attack now.” Ren made a tiny leap in between the boxes then smoothly rolled over, closing the distance between him and the ‘enemy’. 

Upon seeing her husband’s actions, Makoto scoffed, _“What a showoff.”_

Nevertheless, she was deeply amused how after all these years, Ren’s excellent agility and speed had not wavered but more significantly, seeing Kenji’s fixed gaze and slacked-jaw over his father’s antics. She appreciated how Ren, despite being the ‘showoff’’ he was, went the extra mile in making this play amusing for their son. It was no secret Kenji genuinely admired his father. Sometimes, he called him naturally as his ‘Superhero Papa’. 

Makoto admitted between her and Ren, she was the stricter parent. Although she has become less rigid over the years, she still had so much to learn from Ren’s playfulness. She thought no children would want their parents to be overly serious especially when this could be often interpreted by children as being upset with them. On the other hand, displaying occasional signs of playfulness created space for connection. Makoto wished to attain such an attribute, which she strived to balance along her sternness to become a better mother for Kenji. 

To complete the sneak attack, Ren raised his bolster and shouted, “Hiyaaaah!” 

The box fell flat on the floor after Ren’s hit. “Yes! Enemy down! Thanks for covering me Prince!” Ren grinned at his son and did a thumbs up. 

Suddenly, Ren had an idea to make things not only interesting but more importantly, to boost Kenji’s self-confidence and grit. After all, this was all for Kenji. Ren thought he shouldn’t be the star of this show but rather his son. He believed this challenge was the only way to do that. As he read in those parenting books, some struggles that happen in a child’s life are trials they must face more independently. However, Ren was unsure whether this test he was about to give would serve as an opportunity of boon or bane for Kenji since the boy easily becomes anxious during situations of unpredictability. 

Ren closed his eyes. A moment of doubt crept before him but was immediately overpowered by his faith in Kenji. He trusted this challenge would serve as an avenue of growth for him. 

_Well, I won’t know if I don’t try right? Besides, should he ever stumble, we’ll be there for him._

Ren placed a hand on his chest and groaned, “Ouch... that hurts.” In order to complete the act of being in pain, Ren crashed to the floor. He quickly glanced at Makoto who was raising her eyebrows. To get Makoto to understand what he was trying to do, Ren tilted his head towards Kenji who didn’t notice yet his father was already lying down on the floor. 

At first, Makoto continued to have a puzzled look on her face but this swiftly turned into a smile, which meant she figured out Ren’s intentions. After years of being study partners, Ren and Makoto understood each other so much sometimes without the need for words. Their facial and bodily expressions spoke on their behalf as if they were completely in sync. 

“Joker!” Kenji hurriedly ran to his father. “Are you okay?” With the little boy’s clammy palms that touched his hands as well as those vivid little red eyes that darted at him, Ren sensed his son’s sudden uneasiness. 

Ren continued to speak in a croaked voice, “Q-quick Prince, you need to kill the enemy who’s shooting fireballs on that side… it’s the one who hit me.” Ren pointed to the box over the bookcase. Like the previous one, this carton also had a green grouchy figure, which Kenji also drew. However, this one was drawn having flames coming out of its mouth. 

“I’m sorry but I’m going to take cover since I need to heal my wounds. You’ll have to do this on your own.” Ren placed his hand on Kenji’s shoulder. “You can do it. I believe in you.” 

Kenji started to get teary-eyed yet managed to respond, “But Pa- Joker, I can’t be as brave as you!” 

“Remember what Papa told you one time? When you were scared of going to school on your first day?” Ren smiled affectionately. “Even if you’re little, you’re one of the bravest people I know.” He then ruffled Kenji’s hair. “I know you’re feeling scared and it’s hard to not be but the only way we can fight our fears is to face them. You want to catch the monster right?” 

Kenji, who was already sniffling, nodded silently. 

“Then you have to do this and no matter what happens, always remember Papa and Mama will be here for you.” Ren wiped away his son’s tears. Meanwhile, Makoto, who was listening to the conversation, couldn’t help but be touched over her husband’s words. It’s the same thing he told her when she lost her resolve during their initial fight with Yaldabaoth. Ren always had a knack with his words and she was confident his reassurances would also help their son the way it helped her. 

Ren then spoke to Makoto, “Ma- I mean Queen! Guide him!” Ren, who still feigned being in pain, crawled to a nearby box but didn’t leave his sight on Kenji while he did so. 

Now having to face the ‘enemy’ by himself, Kenji ran to another box. Still in a state of panic, he almost stumbled but managed to reach the carton in the end. After he covered himself with the box, he stared at his mother then rubbed his eyes. “I’m scared! I never hit an enemy before…” 

Makoto attempted to reassure Kenji by using a soothing voice. “As what Joker said, it’s hard to not feel scared but we’re here to watch over you and help you as much as we can.” 

“But Queen! I feel scared. Joker is not with me. I can’t do it!” wailed Kenji. Just hearing her son breaking down was enough to crush Makoto’s heart. She wished she could stop this play for a moment. To run and hold him close to her in hopes for his anguish to go away.

She felt Ren’s plan of a challenge was not working so far but she couldn’t give up now. Certainly, there had to be a way and Makoto was not the type to bow down so easily. 

It’s not the first time she’s seen Kenji this distressed. She recalled Kenji was severely frightened during his first day of school. When it was time to go, he hugged tightly onto Makoto’s leg and refused to enter the classroom. When he did agree though, he stayed put by the window and screamed, “Mama! Mama!” as he reached out for her. Having witnessed this, Makoto almost broke down. She never liked seeing Kenji crying his heart out but she understood that growing up is difficult. She had to accept that in Kenji’s life, there would always be hurdles, which he might find intimidating. Instead of feeling demotivated, she rather strived to feel the opposite. For this to become an opportunity to support Kenji even more and in every way she could. 

She tried to recall what was the best approach to help Kenji during these times. After a few seconds, she realized that reassuring him they’d be there for him had always been the best way to help him go through things he was afraid to do. 

Makoto breathed deeply and hoped her words of comfort would get through her son. “While it is true that you are alone but I’m here, watching over you so that I could help you. And Joker, even though he’s hurt, is still watching you too, do you see him?” Makoto pointed to Ren who still hadn’t left his sight over his son. 

“Yes. I do. Joker is smiling at me.” Kenji wiped a few tears using his shirt. 

“Right! He is smiling,” said Makoto, “It’s okay to feel scared but know that we believe and know you can do it. And if you ever need help, we’ll be here for you.” 

“You’re right, Ma- Queen! I can do this! I will make you and Joker proud!” shouted Kenji who then saluted his mother. When Ren saw his son had finally found his resolve, he beamed a smile. 

Makoto proudly smiled and saluted back. “That’s the spirit! Okay, first, you need to hide the wall in front of you. Make sure the enemy doesn’t see you.” 

“Roger that!” Kenji quickly took a glimpse around, assuming the enemy could detect him at any given moment. Afterwards, he sprinted towards another box to hide it and shouted, “Queen! I did it!” 

Despite this being all pretend, Makoto was not going to let any opportunity pass when it comes to assuring her son is doing well. “Good job Prince! Perfect timing. You just missed a fireball from the enemy.” To further boost Kenji’s regained morale, Makoto asked him, “Prince, what should be your next move so you can get closer to the enemy?” Seeking one's child's opinions, according to another book Makoto read before, raises their confidence since it gives them more agency in the current situation. Makoto thought now would be the best time to try such a method out. After all, the reason why they’re doing this was to help Kenji get over his fears and to develop his self-worth. 

Kenji glanced at the area once more then replied, “Hmmm… I think I need to run to the box near the bookcase but I have to run very fast so the enemy won’t see me.”

“Again, good job Kenji! You’re very observant. I also agree that would be the best way. When it’s not looking, that’s your chance to strike. I’ll give you a cue when to go, okay?” Makoto gave her son a thumbs up. 

Kenji nodded at his mother then readied himself as he took a deep breath. After a few seconds, he rolled over to the box near the bookcase. Having done so, he let out a relieved sigh, probably due to the ‘enemy’ not seeing him.

“Okay on my cue, Prince, are you ready?” asks Makoto. 

The little boy, mustering all the courage he had left, looked straight into Makoto’s eyes and replied, “Yes. I’m ready.” While looking at her son, Makoto felt time stopped for a moment. The sudden transformation of her son from being timid to courageous reminded Makoto of a certain someone. She observed Kenji’s unblinking glowing red eyes as well as the smirk on his face. Such demeanor radiated a whole new level of confidence she’s never seen in her son before. Now she understood why their friends said Kenji resembled his father more despite her protests. Makoto glanced at Ren who was also watching over their son. Seeing that Makoto was now looking at him, he flashed out his signature smirk, which still managed to leave her flustered. Nevertheless, she sensed he also felt the same way - a collective sense of pride towards their child. 

Hours ago, their little boy was flooded with tears streaming down from his face. However, it seemed almost as if that boy during such time was now a mere shadow. Kenji currently exuded a lot of tenacity. Had the Metaverse still existed, Makoto found this moment all too similar to a Persona Awakening. She wondered what Kenji's Persona would be. Would he be a Wildcard like Ren, wielding multiple Personas or a solely nuclear-based Persona user like her? 

Despite this being merely imagination for Ren and Makoto, this was real for Kenji. For him, this ‘world’ was true. But most importantly, his emotions as he continued to engage in this world were undeniable. It would be a disservice to him as well as horrible parenting on their part should they ever deny their son of such a reality. 

“3… 2… 1! Now!” Makoto put her hand forward, signaling her son to initiate the attack. 

“You got it!” Kenji smoothly rolled over, swiftly dodged, and blocked the ‘fireballs’ using his ‘sword’, which further proved to Makoto that Kenji’s maneuvers were a lot like Ren’s. As he closed the gap between himself and the enemy, Kenji roared angrily, “This is for hitting my Papa!” then smashed the box. The crushed box fell down on the floor while Kenji jumped in triumph. 

Ren ran to his son and lifted him in his arms. “Good job Ke- I mean Prince! We’re so proud of you! But most of all, you must be so proud of yourself!” 

Kenji beamed a smile over his father’s acknowledgement of his achievement but suddenly looked worriedly. “Is it still ouchie?” 

“Not ouchie anymore.” Ren grinned. “I healed myself but I was able to do that because you killed the monster by yourself.” He took Kenji’s hand and placed it on his chest. “See? All better.” The father and son continued to gaze at each other. Seeing this tender moment, Makoto grabbed her phone to quickly snap a photo. She didn’t mind that her phone was filled with photos of Ren, Kenji, or their photos. She wanted to treasure such moments. 

Ren put Kenji down. “Now let’s finish this. We have one mission left and that’s to catch the monster inside the closet.” Finally reaching the end of Ren’s ‘maze’, the two walked quietly towards the closet. Each step got softer as they neared the door. 

“Good job for reaching the closet! Analyzing the door, there’s definitely something inside.” Makoto instructed. “You both need to cover each side so it doesn’t escape!” 

“Roger that!” Both Ren and Kenji nodded at Makoto. Afterwards, Kenji suddenly took the reins. “Okay! Joker, you take that side and I take this side. Ready your sword.” 

“You got it! Happy to see the Prince being the leader!” Ren gave a thumbs up, amazed at his son’s surge of confidence. “Can you please give me the signal when to open the door?” 

“Yes!” Kenji positioned himself opposite of Ren. “I’m ready, Joker! Are you ready to steal the monster’s heart?” 

Ren smirked in response. “Ready as I’ll ever be.” He touched the doorknob of the closet door while waiting for his son’s signal.

“Okay. On my signal… 3… 2… 1… GO!” 

The two found the closet empty, only to see a Buchimaru plush lying on the floor. 

Kenji removed his mask, which revealed his puzzled face. “This is Buchi-kun!” 

“No signs of the monster, just Buchi-kun.” Ren took off his mask while he rummaged as if to find the ‘monster’ that loomed inside their closet. “What happened, Queen?” 

“I analyzed the surroundings of the closet and there’s no monsters so it could either be Buchi-kun pretending to be the monster or the monster disappeared.” Makoto also removed her mask while she approached the two. 

Once she reached the closet, Makoto got her Buchimaru plush. “You know, Buchi-kun is telling me something.” Makoto placed the plush near to her ear as if the inanimate object she adored so much as a child (and even until now) were talking to her. “He said thank you for rescuing him. The monster disappeared as soon as you both opened the door.” She paused then smiled. “Oh! He also said Prince was really brave for his mission and is thankful for rescuing him.” Makoto lowered herself down to reach Kenji’s height and presented Buchimaru in front of him. He immediately grabbed and hugged the plush. “You’re welcome Buchi-kun!”

Ren and Makoto joined in the hug, enveloping both Kenji and the plush in their arms. The three then pumped their fists in the air.

“Royal Thieves! Mission accomplished!” 

* * *

After they packed away the boxes as well as converted the fortress back into their actual bed (despite Kenji’s objections), the Niijima-Amamiyas finally lay down, ready to call it a day. 

Although Kenji seemed calmer and happier now thanks to their play solution, Ren and Makoto still felt uneasy about how the night would end. Traces of worry imprinted on their faces while they helped their son get ready for bed. 

“Ken-Ken, how are you feeling?” Makoto tucked her son and covered him with a blanket. 

“I feel happy!” spoke Kenji boisterously. Through his response, his parents were able to loosen up for a bit. 

Ren ruffled his son’s hair and asked, “You think you’ll be able to sleep well tonight?” 

“Hmmm… I think I will. ” Kenji paused then glanced both at his parents. “But you and Mama knew that the monsters were not real right? Why did you agree to play with me even if it was past my bedtime?” 

The two parents quickly stared at each other, shocked by Kenji’s question. Although he was only 4 years-old, the boy sometimes displayed maturity beyond his age. He was quite an intelligent and observant child as mentioned by their peers. Futaba even pointed out it’s because his parents were both ‘nerds’. 

After a few seconds of contemplation, Ren broke the silence. “Well, you’re right. Your Mama and I knew it’s not real.” Ren turned himself, lying flat on his chest so that he could place his hand on Kenji’s chest. “But you were scared and we didn’t want you to feel scared anymore. That’s why I thought, why don’t we play about it? Because I noticed that playing makes you feel better.” He moved his hand and placed it on his son’s head then smiled as bright as he could. “Besides, it was nice to see your world. How beautiful your mind is - so creative and imaginative. It helps your Mama and I understand you more and help you better.” 

Makoto also lay flat on her chest and beamed a smile towards her son, “I agree, even if it’s not real.” She placed her hand on top of Kenji’s chest exactly where his heart is located. She felt it beating normally, which further eased her apprehensions that Kenji won’t be able to sleep soundly tonight. “What matters to us more is how you feel than what we think. If you’re scared of a monster or something else, then your Papa and I will be there for you - to protect you because we love and care for you.” 

She felt a few tears falling from her face and quickly wiped them away. She was not one to cry easily but whenever it was about her son, the tears came crashing down like raindrops accumulating from her glowing red eyes. She never knew how much she could love and how much of this love her heart could hold until Kenji was born.

It started when he came out from her womb and held him in her arms. She cooed and fiddled his tiny fingers while he continued to bawl. Her heart swooned when he gazed into her eyes for the first time, revealing those soft red eyes. At that moment, she never wanted to let go. 

The first few months were the hardest yet she didn’t mind. Kenji’s cries constantly woke her up in the middle of the night. She and Ren took turns to help him get back to sleep. However, whenever it was Ren’s turn to do so, she wouldn’t sleep herself until her son was finally in a peaceful slumber. She thought it was probably a mother’s instinct to do so. ‘Mother’ - a term she was still trying to get used to at that time. 

Then Kenji started to crawl and upon such revelation, she was always at his back and caught him whenever he stumbled as she feared he might hurt himself. When they felt he was ready to finally walk, she felt a lot of apprehension, but this disappeared when she finally let go of her son and watched him from a distance. She would never forget that day - the way she excitedly clapped her hands and the way Ren shouted at the top of his lungs once Kenji took his first steps as he strolled around the room. 

Soon after, Kenji started babbling to which Ren and Makoto had a contest on what would be Kenji’s first word. They were quite competitive. During that time, Ren and Makoto kept uttering ‘Papa’ and ‘Mama’ respectively while they spoke to the baby Kenji. When the momentous event came, she vividly remembered the look of defeat plastered on Ren’s face as well as her erupted cheers when Kenji said ‘Mama’ as his very first word. 

Despite inheriting both of his parents’ looks and quirks, seeing Kenji grow to become a person of his own would forever be precious moments for Makoto. She found her love for him grew deeper every single day. This wonderful boy she and Ren swore to cherish. 

“Oh! I feel better too because you played with me today even if you and Papa were tired. Thank you. I love you.” Kenji got up briefly to kiss both Makoto and Ren on their cheeks. Afterwards, he yawned. “I’m getting sleepy Mama.” 

“Well, it is way past your bedtime.” Makoto nuzzled Kenji’s nose while Ren further messed his son’s already disheveled hair. “Sleep tight. Just wake us up when you have a nightmare again, okay?” 

The two were ready to sleep too when Kenji suddenly shouted, “Wait! We forgot one thing!” 

The two looked at their child curiously. “What is it?” asked Makoto. 

Kenji faced Makoto and requested. “Mama, can you please sing me a lullaby?” 

“Oh! Silly me!” Makoto tapped her head gently. “I always sing you a lullaby before you go to sleep. What song do you like today?” 

“Mama! You know! My favorite!” 

“Alright then. One lullaby coming up.” Makoto started to sing while she placed her hand on Kenji’s head, rubbing it softly. 

_“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine ~ You make me happy, when skies are gray ~ You’ll never know dear, how much I love you ~ Please don’t take my sunshine away.”_

Despite finishing the song, Makoto continued to hum softly. Ren saw the sparkle in her eyes as she caressed their son’s hair whose eyes were now closed shut.

Seeing this tender moment between mother and son was one of the many reasons why Ren loved Makoto. She was always bashful about her singing in spite of the angelic and soothing voice he witnessed every night as she sang her son to sleep. Every time they hung out with their friends over karaoke, Makoto always refused when asked to sing as she preferred to watch instead. The only way to make his wife sing was if she drank a bit of alcohol as it gave her a surge of confidence. Other than that, it was almost impossible to convince her. 

But for Kenji, the woman would do literally anything. She may be the sterner one but he noticed she was at her most vulnerable yet the most daring when around their son. She constantly pushed herself to do things she wasn’t comfortable with just to have a trusting relationship with her son. 

He was surprised she agreed to dance at Kenji’s request for their Family Day presentation in school. Despite her busy work schedule, she asked Ren if they could practice every night before the event came. Throughout the process, she was largely worried that she wouldn't perform well yet she did. They even won Best in Talent during the event’s awarding ceremony. 

Whenever Kenji was upset at his mother, Makoto gave him the avenue for him to safely express these. They talked to each other about their feelings. If she was the one at fault, Makoto even asked him what she could do to make it up to him and made sure the night didn’t end until things were resolved between them. During such moments, Ren sensed Makoto’s discomfort. She was quite a prideful person after all yet she swallowed these to assure Kenji she would be there for him through both his brightest and darkest moments. 

It was a long time ago when she asked him to help broaden her horizons. Even though that project of hers was long gone, Ren believed she continues to do so as she explores motherhood. This was one of the many reasons why he fell for her - her never ending thirst for learning to not only become a better person for herself but also for others. 

“Why are you looking at me like that?” 

Ren forgot that he was quite in a trance until Makoto’s question snapped him back to reality. 

“Oh.” Ren chuckled. “While you were singing Kenji to sleep, I was just thinking how beautiful you were and how angelic your voice was.” 

“U-Uhm why are you like this?!” Makoto felt her voice getting louder and higher but covered her mouth to stop herself so as to not wake Kenji up. She sensed her cheeks flaring up. She never fathomed how they’ve been together for so long yet her husband always succeeded in flustering her. She couldn’t deny he was a smooth and charismatic talker after all. 

“You know it’s true! Even I was about to fall asleep from your soothing voice.” Ren smirked, not showing any signs of wanting to stop. This was him getting even out of the constant teasing he received earlier.

“You...” Out of embarrassment, Makoto covered her face. 

Ren knew if he continued the teasing, Makoto would be making a lot of noise, which might wake Kenji up; therefore, he changed the topic. “Hey Mako, do you think he’ll sleep well tonight? Do you think our plan worked?” 

“I hope it does. I mean if it doesn’t, we’ll figure something out right? Like we always do.” Makoto took a glimpse of Kenji who was still sleeping soundly. “And it was your plan after all. I think it was a good plan Ren, facing his fears through play. Although...” Makoto paused then spoke again, “I still owe you a lecture for keeping him up way past his bedtime.” 

“Makoto! Come on, you’re being way too harsh...” Ren was ready to blurt out a series of explanations in order to avoid his current predicament when Makoto leaned over and silenced him with a kiss. 

Makoto pulled away then coquettishly smiled. “That was what I meant by ‘lecture’.” 

“Oh is that it? Care for a study session then?” Ren offered his hand, which Makoto took. The two slowly rose from the bed and moved as far away as possible from Kenji. Ren cupped Makoto’s face and then leaned forward, closing the gap between them with another kiss. 

Before the kiss got any deeper and before their emotions (and hands) fully took over, the two were startled with the voice of the little one:

Kenji shouted, “I can see you two, you know? You two are gross! Yuck!” Their son stuck his tongue out, utterly disgusted by his parents’ actions. 

Alarmed by Kenji’s reaction, the two quickly backed away from each other. Makoto twirled her hair and Ren rubbed his neck. Both were red as a tomato. They thought they were being careful. And to make matters worse, it wasn’t the first time that Kenji caught them making out. In fact, this had been the umpteenth time. They were simply terrible at hiding despite their best efforts. A definite proof of that was when their friends knew their relationship even before they revealed their status to them. The embarrassment on their faces as each of their friends listed instances as to when they found out about their ‘secretive’ relationship. To add fuel to the fire, these explanations were mostly them caught red-handed making out similar to how Kenji caught them right now. 

However in situations like this, Ren and Makoto knew what to do. They grinned at each other as if they had a good comeback plan. 

They smirked at Kenji who asked, “Mama and Papa, why are you looking at me like that?” The boy quickly became wide-eyed, probably realizing what they were about to do. “Oh no, is it what I think is???” 

The couple responded in unison, “Yes. Yes it is. It’s time for a tickle attack!” 

Ren and Makoto rushed to the bed and tickled Kenji in all his tickle spots - the sides of his body, his neck, and the bottom of his feet. 

“Mama!!!! Papa!!! That tickles!!! Stop!!!” Kenji, despite his protests, continued to laugh heartily. Though he wanted them to stop, deep inside, he enjoyed this because that was one of the many ways he knew his parents loved him. 

And during that night and the nights to come, Kenji slept more peacefully, knowing all too well should he ever feel scared of a monster or a nightmare again, his Mama and Papa would be there for him, just like they promised they would. 

**Author's Note:**

> Well, if there's one thing Makoto and Ren are not good at as parents, it would probably be hiding their 'study sessions' from their child. XD
> 
> As always, comments are highly appreciated! :) 
> 
> Just some background on what inspired this piece (Warning: A lot of rambling regarding the psychology of play): 
> 
> Coincidentally, when I was writing this piece, it was also my last month as a preschool teacher. Some of the anecdotes were actually based from my own experiences of my profession. Kenji's favorite type of play is technically called pretend play. A lot of children of his age engage in this kind of play, which is pretending to be someone or something as if it were real. So in this case, Kenji pretends he and his parents are superheroes who need to catch the monster inside the closet. From his perspective, this is all real even if it's merely his imagination. 
> 
> Why am I saying this? It's because play does not only stimulate a child's creativity but can also serve as a way to resolve their socio-emotional issues. In this piece, Ren and Makoto plays pretend with Kenji so that they can help him face his fear over the 'monster' inside the closet. I wanted to emphasize this as someone who believes play can be both fun and therapeutic. Despite common notions of how 'useless' it is, play contributes a lot to the holistic development (i.e. physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional) of a child. I will forever be an advocate for that. 
> 
> As I've said, I wrote this piece during my last month as a teacher; therefore, everything I've learned from my students, most especially, how to build trusting relationships and provide genuine support to children, was heavily reflected on Makoto and Ren's parenting. I think of this piece as my way of saying goodbye to my students who have touched my life for the past few years. (My apologies I'm just a sentimental ex-teacher who is still in the process of letting them go.) 
> 
> Thank you again for reading! I hope you enjoy! As I've said, earlier, I seem to enjoy writing Parenting AUs so if you have any prompts in mind, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter!
> 
> Special shoutout to Ran-Ran for not only being my beta reader but for being such a wonderful and supportive friend. Thank you. I appreciate you.


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